Social media has far more influence than any of its predecessors like television and newspaper. Because of technology today, digital networks allow interaction among people in multiple ways, breaching limitations typical in the past. But social media is also highly controversial due to its impact on society. Whether positive or negative, the repercussion of exposing the culture to social media is up to how people consume this technology.
Basic Concepts of Social Media
The original definition of social networking has sociological concepts and not technological. But the introduction of the World Wide Web shifts social networking to a new and sophisticated level. Social networks today refers to web-based services that generate virtual community out of people using computer-mediated communication (CMC). Similar to the first definition, social networks group individual that shares common interest, concerns, beliefs, and affiliations. The only difference is the social sites or media facilitate the connection among people.
Social media creates a digital bazaar that, even in the absence of physical self, interaction is alive and present to satisfy the multifaceted human culture. Facebook and its allied social media platforms offer tons of opportunities, but there are cautions to observe as it tends to promote overexposure of oneself.
Social Media and Human Psychology
Social media is ubiquitous and pervasive across all ages, and yet, how it impacts the human brain is parallel. According to experts, social media like Facebook and Twitter has designs to contain combinations of stimuli that can activate brain circuitry implicating reward. With MRI technology, the study concludes photos with many likes trigger the neural regions of the brain involving reward processing, attention, imitation, and social cognition. However, another study also finds how the brain’s decision-making and emotional processing functions with the social media stimuli. Especially when the user experiences social exclusion, the brain reacts directly to the emotional region. Though it is too early to conclude, the results are giving insights to a better understanding of the effects of social media on the human brain.
Impacts of Social Media to Society
Social media change the landscape of communication and social interaction among people. More than that, digital socialization has far more impact on society to have both positive and negative influences. Among the beneficial implications of social networking is its ability to promote awareness on various causes, foster friendship despite the distance, and effectively advertise the business. Everyone, including the politicians, sees the potentials of social media to inspire mass movement and benefit from it during elections.
Despite the exciting improvements in technology, social media is inevitably dangerous. Experts warn the possibility of addiction that has an unhealthy consequence to the overall personality and function of an individual.
Peek to the Future of Social Media
Change is inherent to social media, and its evolution comes faster than anyone imagines. Soon, everybody should expect new features as cutting-edge technology will update social trends. Innovations that emphasize privacy and security will be on the rise, and going mobile is the goal to access social platforms. There are more trends to watch for the future of social media to be more exciting and successful.
Social Media rediscovered 